Import Volume at L.A. Port Above Normal

The amount of inbound cargo at the Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s second-busiest port, remained higher than normal in November as U.S. importers scrambled to get holiday merchandise through jammed shipping lanes, port officials said. Although the November volume of 150,340 cargo containers represented a 4% drop in imports compared with October, the falloff is normally much greater, said Al Fierstine, director of business development. November import levels were 21.1% higher than a year ago, he said, a further indication that the dollar’s strength continued to make Asian goods a bargain for U.S. wholesalers. November marked the fourth straight month that import levels were at least 10% higher than at the same time last year. U.S. exports from Los Angeles harbor rose for the second straight month, largely because of strong Asian demand for cheap cotton, Fierstine said. The Port of Long Beach, the nation’s busiest, is expected to release November cargo figures as early as today.